For better or worse, everything the Los Angeles Lakers will be blown out of proportion. As such, the following statement must be prefaced by an acknowledgement of that simple fact to avoid falling into that same outlandish territory.
With all of that established, the captivating reality in Los Angeles is that they have an advantage over the rest of the NBA that simply can't be discredited.
On Thursday, Jan. 2, the Lakers took the court without Anthony Davis for just the second time all season. Matched up against the Portland Trail Blazers, which had gone 3-3 over the previous six games, Los Angeles pulled out a solid 114-106 win.
At the heart of the victory was the defiant LeBron James, who went off to the tune of 38 points and eight assists on 15-of-25 shooting field and a 7-of-10 mark from distance.
It was yet another example of James turning back the clocks and giving the Lakers a well-earned win. That alone is worth discussing and praising, as he's continued to set the standard for longevity in not only the NBA, but arguably all of professional sports.
The bigger takeaway for the Lakers, however, is that they still have a distinct advantage over the competition: The presence of two players who can legitimately dominate any game they play.
Lakers have the ultimate advantage with two dominant scorers
The Lakers are currently 19-14, which has them on pace to secure the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and thus avoid the Play-In Tournament. It's an encouraging place to be after enduring a grueling schedule early in 2024-25, including two long stretches of predominantly road games.
One of the primary reasons the Lakers have survived the challenging moments of the first half of the season is the presence of Davis and James.
Davis is on his way to yet another All-NBA selection, averaging 26.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.5 offensive boards, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. James, meanwhile, is defying Father Time by posting marks of 23.9 points, 8.9 assists, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 three-point field goals made per contest.
In addition to averaging a combined 50 points per game, both Davis and James continue to be threats for truly dominant performances every time out.
Davis has already produced two 40-point games, 14 with at least 30 points, and five with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds. James, meanwhile, has eight 30-point games, four with at least 35, and 14 with double-digit assists.
Statistics only count for so much, but they also reveal how capable the Lakers' top two players are of putting the team on their backs.
To make matters more intriguing, Austin Reaves has taken a significant step forward in 2024-25. Over the past nine games, he's averaging 21.3 points, 8.1 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per game, with a current streak of four straight outings with at least 10 dimes.
There are conversations to be held about what else the Lakers bring to the table, but with superstars who can dominate and a third player who's coming into his own as a star-caliber contributor, Los Angeles always has a chance.